The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1887-09-23

1t may readily be surmlsed that the name
"white trash" is not a misnomer when it is
known that 300 to 400 white women are
officiating as the wives Of negroes in this
locality. Some of the police claim that
certain negroes seem to exert a fascinating
power over white women like that which
snakes were once supposed to exercise over
their victims. There are certainly remark
able instances of handsome, though not par
ticularly intelligent, white women who
have married men of the darkest hue, and
clung to them through years of abuse and
discomfort. This is fact SO we'll known
that it has almost ceased to attract atten-
ton.
The Italian colony furnishes another
curious illustration of the conglomerate
character of our people Their numbers
are increasing rapidly, amounting to nearly
| Is, OOO and most of them dwell ON North
street. dingy locality at the North End,
once fourishing business quarter but now
packed from cellar to roof with organ
grinders, rag pickers and banana peddlers
They are so thickly planted that the
children bulge out of the windows in groups,
and the men exude from the doorways
at night as though the buildings were over.
flowing with inhabitants
Dirt and filth are the most noticeable
signs of the locality, for the people really
do not know how to keep clean. The re-
suit is a terrible cost of life.
Used to an outdoor life in their sunny
| Italy they do not understand how to adapt
their habits to this climate.
Benevolent Bostonians have formed
society to teach them how to do it.
''They never do any heavy work" says
the talkative Irish policeman on the corner
"They don't work on the wharves or
streets. They leave that to us Irishmen
They are a little too handy with the knife
but they are pretty civil on the whole. ~
Thee boys and girls are promising speci-
mems. They are shrewd at getting pen
nies, and are fast monopolizing all the prof
liable sidewalk employments.
The boys and few of the girls are
bright looking; some of them handsome,
but the older people seem 60 be usually
fat, homely and lazy
They have their own wine and grocery
stores. The groceries are two-thirds mac
aroni, spaghetti, and various kinds of
wheat strings with a hole through the CEN
ter. A dozen varieties of thicknesses and
colors may be seen all imported from Italy.
The other third of the grocery stock IS
mostly mildew and mold. Inside the mold
may be core of repusive-looking sausage
or blood red chunks of meat or animated
cheese. Little fishes boiled in oil and bot
ties of olive oil are also conspicuous.
#* *
Not far from the Italians the Jews have
their headquarters, on Salem street, once
fashionable thoroughfare leading southwark
from Copps hill and the Old North church
Pawnbroking and old clo shops are thicker
than lampposts, and the children Cry in
Polish and German. The more thoroughly
Americanized Jews avoid the locality, and
muster in stronger force in the south part
of the town.
The German people fancy the neighbor-
hood of Dover street at the South End, and
are more numerous than the Italians.
The Swedish element are not strong here
yet though they are beginning to fill the
employment offices, much to the relief of
housekeepers who want servants less spirited
than the Irish immigrants, and find it hard
to get negro women
The latter seem strangely unwilling to go
into domestic service here. One house.
keeper assures me that it is because of the
we'll known antipathy between Bridget
and Dinah Bridget is too plenty for
Dinah's peace of mind.
Boston's ''Castle Garden" the Cunard
wharf, is undergoing a spasm of reform
The published charges of extortion and in
adequate service have stirred up the Off
cials, who have before their eyes the exam
pie of New York. They are taking pains
to avoid the storm that has struck the New
York emigration board by keeping sharp
watch on the contractor who handles the
baggage The result is that the immigrants
are enabled to take the first trains for the
west after their arrival.
Those immigrants who remain in the
city have still cause for complaint. On the
recent arrival of steamer all the west
bound baggage was promptly delivered at
the stations, but three great truck-loads of
boxes and bundles belonging to new comers,
who intended to look for work in Boston,
was detained more than day on the
wharf, because not enough truckmen were
employed to handle them.
.*&
The list of Boston's charities is not ex-
actly endless, but there are many so quietly
conducted that they gain publicity hardly
once in a generation. One that was es-
tablished $50 years ago by Peter Faneuil
and others is used to privately and kindly
relieve the necessities of dependent persons
VINO nave seen DetUer udyS anu WnOSe
poverty for that reason is particularly
severe. About $4,000 year is used in such
relief.
The cred Lamp" a play dealing with
Russian life is on at the Museum. 1t has
never been produced In this country before
''The Dominie's Daughter" is off the list.
''Run of Luck "Jim the Penman,'
and "The Corsair' are still going at the |
theaters.
"Erminie" is being given at the Globe by |
the New York Casino company.
Clara Morris will appear at the Park |
theater during the week beginning Oct. "a.
The inspectors of police claim that within
the past two years they have broken up a
dangerous gang of house workers which
began operations with fifteen men, nearly |
all of whom are at the present time serving |
sentences. 1t was nearly year before the
inspectors succeeded in obtaining sufficient
evidence to interfere with the plans of the
men, but one by one they were arrested,
convicted and sentenced until but few are
left, and several of these will soon be